"Yesterday, All My Troubles Seemed So Far Away..

.......Now it seems as though they're here to stay...How I long for yesterday"

Yeah, I borrowed that! Yesterday was a fun, upbeat day1 Starting when my best friend cam by after her Dr's appointment for Coffee, in the morning. She was so excited, telling me about her potential business plans, to set up her own office, as a Reiki Master. She had inquired about renting a room at the Victorian Tudor Inn, a Bed and Breakfast place here in town. The idea is to give Reiki treatments, possibly along with Massage Therapy, to the guests at the Inn.

Well the owner had just returned her call and is very interested in meeting her and he already has a room ready to go. He is thinking he could offer a combined package deal for both relaxation therapies to the guests. And she wants me to go along to meet him on Thurs morning!

In recent years, the Arthritis Foundation has recognized and endorsed Massage Therapy as a means of relaxation and reducing pain in Arthritis and Fibromyalgia patients. Reiki treatments are more often used in a Nursing Home , or hospitalized patients' rooms, as a means of relaxation and healing therapy. I confess to not knowing much more about how it works.

Then, less than an hour afdter my friend left, I got a call from my daughter-in-law's parents, asking if they could come visit for a couple hours.

they have about an hour's drive to be here, and are appearing at the local Society for the Arts Theatre, as Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln, impersonators. He is 6'4, grows a beard, looks just like Abe. He is one of only a hundred and some registered Lincoln impersonators in the country. They travel all over the US giving their impersonations. She makes all her lovely, long full dresses with the hoop skirts, matching little purse, lots of lace, pretty neat. Her evening ones are glamourous satins, very gorgeous.

So he left to visit my ex who is now home after open heart surgery, and she and I had tea and talked all afternoon.

At 5:00, they had to change into their costumes and thereeafter Abe and Mary Lincoln were seen leaving my home on Highland Ave.

Took a much needed nap, had chicken veg soup for supper and then just Bridget and I had a quiet evening.

As I took aff my shoes I realized the top of my left foot was sore. Well, whatever, always something sore.

Was a wake a few times through the night and realized my foot hurt. but then went back to sleep. Same thing this morning, looked and pressed on the area at the base of the two toes next to the big toe, that is swollen, a little pink, with a little pin-point red area near the base of the toes. Hmmm./ Is it arthritis? Already know how bad my feet are, with the displaced and distorted toes. Or..Could it be another spontaneous fracture?

Had 2 of them a few years ago in this foot, at Christmas time, so had to walk around with this big, clunky black boot, wearing my little black dress for the parties. Oh yes, they matched beautifully! Hardly noticeable! Right

So now what? Can't drive, can't exactly run over to the GP's clinic, have him look at it and send me to the hospital for an x ray. That takes planning, finding someone available to get me there. Usually my daughter-in-law, but they just got back late last night from their quick 3 day trip to Disneyworld, so I don't want to interrupt her laundry day. Besides she will be driving me to Cleveland on Friday morning for my appt. with the Hand Specialist/Orthopedic Surgeon, to findout what, if anything can be done for my useless wrist and hand. No strength in it, can't pick up the coffee cup, can't bend it, all the knuckles hurt constantly and the thumb is wretched! Don't dare accidently move it! Yikes!

Have day and night splints, but they are only restricting movement so it doesn't hurt, not really curing anything.

So, back to the foot. Think I will try the conservative approach, stay off it all day today, go with friend to the meeting tomorrow, then stay down again and see how it goes.

Can't cancel the Cleveland trip! My daughter-in-law will know some fabulous place to go for lunch, wish we could go browsing through some of those shopping villas so popular there! I guess I couldn't walk that much even if my foot was alright!

So, I'll see how it is over the weekend,, if not better I will make a complaint on Monday mornign and go from there. How's that? Not what I want to be dealing with!! So, How I dream of yesterday... Loret xx

[sylvi]

Lovely Loretta,have you tried putting your feet in cold water to see if it will ease it. You really are in the wars aren't you. You are lucky to have family close by to support you when you need it.

I think i will go and put my hands in some cold water as i've been on here for the last 4hrs catching up with every one.

You rest now my friend, sending you my love, Sylvi. xxxxxxxx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Thanks, sweetie..4 Hours? Holy goodness How are your eyes after all that?

No, my foot isn't really hot, just puffy and pink. I'm allergic to cold! If I get direct contact with frozen surfaces and freezing air, I get hives! I hate going out in the cold and I always feel cold when nobody else does indoors. ?? Now on way for late afternoon nap. L.xx

[sylvi in reply to Hidden]

sleep well. xx

[Hidden]

Hey I've become like that about cold since I've had RA Loret! Everytime anyone suggests putting hands in cold water I just go off on a great big shiver even though I know it makes sense but it makes me ill to contemplate it - like the squeaky blackboard thing?!

Poor you with all this - I hope the foot is like my wrist was at the weekend and just peaks and then dies away but I'm aware that other people's flares don't always work like mine and you have much more experience of pain that i so I'll just hope and send you a huge hug across the Atlantic ocean. Off to take my Naproxen - not doctor's orders but yours wise woman! ((())) TTx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Oh Mercy, I hope you don't get into trouble with your GP over that!

Quite frankly, it would not surprise me that this is a small fracture. A flare in my foot is usually not so locallized, and alot more red and hot. This is swollen and hurts, and if I step down and absent mindedly bend my toes!! Oh, then it hurts!!

Hey! I see your above post is an hour previous to me. So, it is 8:15 pm here, what time is it there? We'll get this time frame figured, or resort to a time table in the back of the dictionary. Have a good night! L. xx

[Hidden]

We have a half term up here in Scotland Loret so all being late to bed late to rise for a few days which is rather blissful. Between t2 amiltriptylines and the Naprox and a busy day I slept like a log. I do keep worrying about taking a drug that hasn't been sanctioned for everyday use by my GP so will phone and check that it's okay with him today.

What are you going to do about that foot - how would you have sustained a fracture without knowing? Are your bones very brittle? My dad once broke his ankle walking across a level crossing when our car had broken down and mum was yelling at him to phone the car rescue people so I know some people do have fractures just by some small activity or the wrong move. I think you should get it checked out before your trip to Cleveland if you can or it will surely spoil your day?

Re time difference - I think you might be about 5 hours behind us as I wrote my last at 11.20pm and you wrote your reply 2am my time.

TTxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Must be right time-wise. It is nearly 8pm now, so must be after midnight there. Since you don't have to get up early, you may very well still be up with the keyboard.

Seriously, there really hasn't been any time to go to the GP to have him look at my foot and send me to the hospital for xrays. However, friend came over this noon and we went to the hospital anyways to get my labs drawn for Rheumy appt. next Weds. That is like going home to a class reunion over there at the hospital. We both know most of the ladies in the front reception and registration areas, so we had several chats along with getting the work done.

The lab people, the older ones, know me because I used to work in the lab there part time while I was working full time at another neighboring hospital, 15 miles away. That had to have been in my younger, crazier days!

Well the foot hasn't changed, it is still pink and swollen and sore to touch, so I reckon when I get back from Cleveland tomorrow I will make an appt. to see my GP for Monday, or when ever I can get a ride over there. The worst handicap? Not being able to drive!! What a hangup that is. That took my whole identity, my personna, my entire way of life when I could no longer drive. Whole other story!

How are the hands, are you noticing any difference since starting the Napro., but don't be alarmend if you don't , it's way too early yet. But you shouldn't have it any worse or as bad as last weekend.

Just avoid getting so cold! It was beautiful here today, bright and sunny and clear, and windy and colder than..a bunch of stuff

Cleveland will be colder, it is further East, in the Snow belt and located right on the shores of Lake Erie, with the wind roaring across that huge ice-cube!! Take good care, Loretxx

[helixhelix]

Oh how mean! For something like that to happen just after you've had a good day is just rotten. But do try to rest it, and not prod the poor sore foot too much. I'm on a teeny, tiny blackberry so can't write much but really hope things improve. Px

[Hidden in reply to helixhelix]

Hi Polly, had no time to get to the GP today before going to Cleveland tomaorrow, but will likely call for an appt when I get home. Atleast to have him say oh yes that looks like something's cooking ( he's such a nice guy) and then tell his nurse to call the xray dept at the hospitla and tell them I'm coming over and he wants the results called to him while I stay there and wait, so he can give me the report and any instructions, Been there, done that before Will be back tomorrow night. L.xx

[LavendarLady]

Hi Loret, I do find that cold packs or putting hands and feet into cold water does help - it needn't be icy cold just out of the taps! Sorry to hear about the foot - hope you get it sorted out when you see the consultant on Friday.

I have plantar fasciitis in both feet which at times flares up and is very painful also RA in my right big toe which for once, is not bothering me!

Try to rest the foot as much as you can for the next day or so. Not easy when you are so active but it might help the inflammation to go down if you keep the foot up. Good luck on Friday. LavendarLady x

[Hidden in reply to LavendarLady]

Aw, Thanks ladies. It is no worse this morning, but sure is sore, and a bit hot.

I have Osteoporosis, brittle, thin bones, due to several rounds of steroids. It scares me hearing of all of you and the liberal use of steroid injections. Unfortunatley, that used to be the best way to treat RA. That and aspirin. So some older patients have more of a risk of Osteoporosis.

Have meeting this morning, with my friend, then need to go have labs drawn for Rheumatologist appt next Weds.

Won't be walking much, and will be careful of not aggravating the foot. I promise Gotta go. Have a good day. L.xx

[Hidden]

what a wonderful life you lead Loret - I would love to be waving farewell to Abe and the wife. Rest up, hope u have had a good day

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, they are a fun couple, and sure raised a lovely, ambitious, hard working daughter-n-law. She herself is a Veterinarian, she and Doug met at Ohio State University in Pre-med studies

[Tinwoman2]

Oh Loret, rest & be careful with your foot. Definitely get it checked before your trip to Cleveland. I hope that it isn't broken.

I may have seen your Abe & Mary once at our annual Lincoln Celebration.

I love the cardinal picture you included, how did you get so close? Our cardinals are so skittish & fly away if they see you move-even if you are behind glass.

Christine

[Hidden in reply to Tinwoman2]

Hi Christine! I imagine you may very well have seen them, I know they have been there!

That cardinal picture was taken last year, during a heavy snow storm of blizarrd proportions, and I had the bird feeder hanging close to the front patio, on a tall shrub, so they could get feed without too much snow on it. Two of them took up hanging around the front living room window, pretty clever, right next to the feeder, and absorbing some warmth from the house. He landed on the window sill and I watched him and grabbed the camera. I couldn't believe how much detail I could see in that pic.

I printed and hung it in a frame on my workshop wall.

Hope you are recovering from all your snow! We are expecting more on Friday night, but again, only 2 inches. Cheers! L. xx

[MrsFitz17]

I hope your foot is ok, I have terrible problems with my feet and ankles due to RA and 2 mortons neuromas in each foot.

I know what you mean about the steroids scaring you, they scare me too and I always refuse if I can but today my rheumy nurse said that if ther isn't a drastic improvement by next week I'll have to have another steroid infusion, she wanted me to have one today but I managed to put her off!

I hope the trip to Cleveland goes well and they can sort your wrists out.

Mary

[Hidden in reply to MrsFitz17]

Hi Mary,

Has your dr suggested removing your neuromas? My friend had that done last winter, and now she can wear normal shoes comfortably and is so happy she had it done. She was layed up in home for a few weeks, getting about with the crutches, and her hubby would bring her coffee in an insulated carafe before he left for work every morning, so she could sip all day ! Not a bad deal, but her 3 daughters are all grown and have families, so that made it easier.

Hope things quiet down before they chase after you with that steroid syringe!!! Weekend's coming up, so be lazy! L. xx